Home made signs, some with anti-Muslem themes, were abundant as Tea Partiers gather around the West Lawn of the US Capitol in Washington DC for a second 9/12 rally on September 12, 2010. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)  speaks at a press conference following the failure of the DREAM act cloture vote.  President Barack Obama and Democratic supporters failed to gather the 60 votes necessary to cut off a Republican filibuster and move the so-called DREAM Act to the Senate floor for passage. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (the DREAM Act) would give hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants a path to legal status if they enrolled in college or joined the armed forces. The Senate vote to cut off debate failed, 55-41, essentially killing the legislation for this year. This took place on a rare Saturday session in the US Capitol in Washington DC on December 18, 2010. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank berated a reporter, CNS' Nicholas Ballasy, for asking if gay and straight service members should shower separately. Frank said the idea that people might be concerned over gays and straights showering together, and the possible disruption it could case, is a "silly issue". "To accept the principle that homosexuals can't shower with other people is a degree of discrimination that goes far beyond this. We don't get ourselves dry cleaned. We tend to take showers when we go to the gym; when we play sports." Minutes earlier, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) signed the repeal of Don't Ask, Don’t Tell, on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese, Aubrey Sarvis  and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Sarvis is executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
Joe Solmonese and Eric Alva celebrate as Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Tuesday December 21, 2010 on Capitol Hill. Solmonese is President of the Human Rights Campaign of the United States. Alva was is the first Marine seriously injured in the Iraq Occupation. (Photo by Jeff Malet)
See photo in original gallery.